BTW, I really really hope this is a joke.

This thing scares me silly:

This is all we need, corporations having a political arm. Communism was a joke compared to what this could lead to.

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2010/02/murray_hill_inc_for_congress.php

http://www.murrayhillweb.com/pr-012510.html

“It’s our democracy,” Murray Hill Inc. says, “We bought it, we paid for it, and we’re going to keep it.”

This is exactly how you would imagine a corporation talking about democracy and why this should NEVER be allowed to happen.

http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/avfjo/the_best_democracy_money...
"artman 14 points 7 days ago[-] It's like Snow Crash, The Jagged Orbit and The Syndic all coming together into one nightmare."

found in the forest one cool mushroom ppt:

TEST!

http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/01/the-chess-grandmaster-apples-i.html
Netting it out: The best way to think about iPad is as the device that inspired Steve Jobs to create the iPhone and the iPod Touch. It's the vaunted 3.0 vision of a 1.0 deliverable that began its public life when the first generation of iPhone launched only two-and-a-half years ago, and as I wrote about previously HERE, it is a product that is deeply personal to Steve Jobs, and I believe the final signature product on an amazing career. I would view yesterday's launch in that light.

http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/01/the-ipad-is-the-iprius-your-co.html

About how .avi, .mkv and flash could do for the iPad what .mp3 did for the iPod
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/87921/ipad-as-video-device-not-so-much/

In a funny twist about the inability of iPhone/iPod/iPad to play flash, this will probably force websites with video players to switch to html5 solutions sooner rather than later, given the apparent availability of html5 video in n-1 browsers as of this month. With this, the history of the flash format and its closed ecosystem is about to end at the hand of another closed ecosystem (apple). History will no doubt repeat itself at some point in the future.

Been feelin' in a good mood today. Here's some music for ya'll

Darude - Sandstorm ... still after all these years this tune still rules

Awesome photo-blog and a great post today, must see: http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/10/01/29/

I guess it could have been worse and I could've hated it today 24h after announcement; yet I'm still thinking about it.

• Of course book/newspaper/magazine publishers will love it cause it eliminates borrowing of said books/newspapers/magazines and forces everyone interested in them to buy them. I love both reading books/documents on screen and having the paper copy to lend to friends and see in the bookcase.
• It's probably the best way to watch movies and clips up close and personal. iPhone/iPod is too small
• iPad/iMaxiPad well, i thought at first it was a good name because it was so close to the iPod, but people keep making fun of it. Will this deter people from buying it? Scared of being made fun of?
• iPad name was being held by Samsung and it's going to be available in 2 months? (Patrick Beja on appslappy)
• 16/32/64G at 100$ difference? shouldn't the difference in price between 16 and 32 be less than the one between the 32 and 64? 100$ upgrade price for the memory is too big compared to the initial price of the device.
• It's priced very well starting at 499$. Even at this price it can still be an impulse buy.
• It is a great platform for expanding the hardware. There is enough space and battery in the case for all your hardware needs. This first release it's like beta testing a new product line; they don't know what to put in it and will use all the feedback they can get. It makes a good case for waiting for version 2.

Wishlist:

• Camera or 2 or a reversible camera. Honestly, aren't Camera chips available for about 5$ in china? WTF?
• Multi-tasking or limited multi-tasking for media players, ie, let pandora play in the background
• Usb port on the side. Make that 2/4.
• Buying a paper book will also give you a token to download the book online and read on iPad. Could cost a bit more for this but not a lot (2.99$). Electronic only version of book has to be WAAAAY below paper book... think 30% of cost.

Specs on gdgt - http://gdgt.com/apple/ipad/specs/
The ultimate couch device - http://www.andrejkoelewijn.com/wp/2010/01/27/ipad-is-the-couch-device/
Engadget on the iPad - http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/editorial-engadget-on-the-ipad/
MSI Android tablet - http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/08/msi-shows-off-10-inch-android-tablet-...
Dell Mini 5 Android tablet - http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/28/dell-mini-5-tablet-prototype-shows-up...
Apple's A4 chip is ARM Cortex A9 with an ARM Mali GPU? http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/28/apples-a4-is-an-arm-based-system-on-a...
Stylus pens for iphone - http://www.nextag.com/stylus-pen-for-iphone/products-html

Interesting how ARM is creeping into potential Intel markets.
moose0422 Posted Jan 28th 2010 8:05AMNEUTRAL
@(Unverified) Actually the Cortex A9 chip is much faster than the Intel Atom processor. Meaning that it is faster then the netbooks out today and since it is dual core then it more powerful than any cell phone chip because there are no phones that have dual core processors that I know of.

S&H (shipping and handling) is an extraordinary concept. For example when buying anything on ebay, the seller tells you that S&H is 4.95$. You pay, the package comes to you and you see that shipping is only 2$. You tell this to the seller and he claims that the difference is the "handling". Since when is handling not covered by the profit? Well, I understand that the seller is pushing to show a low sell price, but it is disingenuous to hide profit under the "handling" umbrella.

In the same chapter, see the practice in Canada to show prices in stores w/o the taxes. Only at the cashier you see another 13% added to the price. Since when am I the buyer interested how much of the price goes to the government? Total cost is what interests me. It is just another way to increase the profit artificially.

Listened to a npr short on herbivores: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120696816

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/06/05/japan.herbivore.men/index.html

SAY WHAT? aaaaah, he's the japanese version of hipster: http://bit.ly/5yRCxG . For required reading on hipsters, try this: https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/79/hipster.html

I think "herbivores" just sais it so much better, kudos to the japanese. Big, slow, dumb, herded !!!

Curtea Constitutionala zice pe litere (da, traducere idioata din engleza) la tot poporul cum ar putea sa se scape de contenstatia / cererea de anulare a alegerilor a psd-ului. E cel putin bizar ca acest detaliu a ajuns sa fie subliniat.

CC poate admite cererea PSD numai dacă social-democraţii nu sunt implicaţi în fraudă
http://www.mediafax.ro/main-story/cc-poate-admite-cererea-psd-numai-daca...

Citat:
"Nica a dat exemplu secţia 136 din Italia, unde, din 115 nume verificate, 11 "au dat vot multiplu", fără a spune unde şi-au exercitat cei 11 opţiunile în afara secţiei invocate."

Vad ca pe o problema ca ei nu pot demonstra in favoarea cui au fost facute aceste voturi. Ar trebui sa ii prinda pe votanti si sa ii intrebe cu cine au votat. Daca unu din aia 11 zice ca cu psd-ul, anularea poate fi respinsa (in mod legal). De asemenea 11 voturi nu cred ca sunt de ajuns sa anuleze alegeri. Asa n-ar mai fi ales presedintele niciodata.

Un alt detaliu interesant venit din Romania e ca PNL nu a cerut anularea alegerilor alaturi de PSD.(inca)

Ma gandeam deunazi ca in Canada e un sistem mult mai "linistit" de a trata cu alegeri care rezulta in minoritati parlamentare: partidul care are cele mai multe locuri de facto face guvernul. Seful partidului e prim ministru. Nu esti sef de partid, nu esti prim ministru. Prin asta scapi instant de cei 100 de pretendenti la prim ministru din partide care fac jocurile. 2) guvernul nu e confirmat de parlament... asta pana trebuie sa treaca prin parlament primul buget. Guvernul poate functiona bine mersi pana in momentul in care trebuie sa treaca legi organice si nu le poate trece, sau pana cand opozitia baga motiune de cenzura si o trece. In momentul de fata opozitia sta si tace pentru ca chiar stiind ca pot sa treaca o motiune de cenzura, conditiile le sunt defavorabile alegerilor (a se citit liberalii stiu ca nu pot obtine majoritate in caz de alegeri). Liniste si pace neamule... Guvernatoarea Canadei are rol de "presedinte" dar rolul e pur fictiv. Anul trecut a trebuit pentru prima data sa ia vreo decizie cand opozitia a crezut ca poate sa propuna un guvern de coalitie. N-a mers ba mai mult tipa a fost stanjenita si s-a dovedit ca e incapabila sa rezolve criza politica si daca ar vrea. Nu exista de fapt putere prezidentiala: un show mai putin in politica, alegerea presedintelui.

Admir din ce in ce mai mult sistemul politic de tip englez pe masura ce trec anii. Nu imi lipseste cat de putin spectacolul politic din Romania. Ca om simplu vreau sa am griji legate de bani, de casa, de prieteni, de unde imi fac vacantele, de sanatate, si nu de care idiot mai apare la televizor cu gura plina de spume care sa ma enerveze cu calomniile lui politice.

!Mi-a venit una in minte, prin SUA si Canada cele mai mari scandaluri politice sunt de fapt legate de finantarea campaniilor electorale. Sunt legi extrem de clare care spun in ce mod se pot dona bani la campaniile electorale si de catre cine. Ba mai mult listele de donatii devin publice sa vedem si noi cine cu cine depune. How about in Romania? E la liber? Nu exista vreo posibilitate sa falimentezi financiar partidele politice?

Un alt articol mishto, de data asta pe latura economica:

Dragos Paul Aligica - Resurgenta keynesismului (noiembrie 2009)
http://www.cadi.ro/index.php/vizualizare/articol/publicatii/302

asta e cu dedicatie speciala pentru colegii mei de munca care ma considera socialist cand de fapt sunt doar un biet adept al lui keynes. dedicatia se aplica imediat ce o sa invete limba romana.

Who I spend my life with is more important than where...

heard during a car-talk episode, together with:

You have to go away to discover you want to stay...

Ti or To? :)

Foarte bun editorial al lui Dan Cristian Turturica in Romania Libera de luni 7 decembrie.

"Este exact ca in decembrie 2004!"

Citat din articol:
"Esential este, insa, un singur lucru: rezultatele pe care le va anunta Biroul Electoral Central, oficial, trebuie sa fie deasupra oricaror supiciuni. Ultimul lucru de care mai are nevoie Romania acum este un rezultat electoral dubios, asupra carora sa planeze banuieli de frauda si care sa arunce tara intr-o criza politica. Insa, si daca BEC va da rezultate oficiale clare, candidatul invins trebuie sa aiba taria de a-si recunoaste infringerea si sa nu incerce sa ia ostatica aceasta tara, pentru a-si razbuna o ambitie personala neimplinita!"

pentru restul, link aici: http://www.romanialibera.ro/a171863/este-exact-ca-in-decembrie-2004.html

Din pacate diferenta intre numarul de voturi al celor 2 candidati este foarte mica, atat de mica incat si cea mai mica frauda ar fi putut-o afecta. Un exemplu de diferenta fata de turul 1 este numarul de voturi nule, mult mai mic la turul 2 fata de turul 1. E greu de crezut dar nu exclus ca numarul de nule a scazut asa de dramatic. O ipoteza mai plauzibila e ca cineva stampileaza de zor buletinele albe. De aceea in caz ca ai fost la vot si ai bagat in urna buletinul nevotat esti cel mai pasibil de a fi ajutat falsul. Daca vrei sa iti exprimi nemultumirea, macar voteaza-i pe amandoi.

Ca roman din diaspora, citesc avid presa, dar lipsesc lucrurile concrete, analizele, etc. PSD contesta votul dar nu spune de ce; ar fi interesat sa stim ce contesta ei de fapt. Am citit ceva fugar azi noapte despre faptul ca nu au semnat procesele verbale la anumite sectii de votare... again, nici o informatie dupa aceea. E un soi de "fog of war" care s-a lasat peste Romania si as prefera daca el s-ar ridica un pic. De pilda ar fi interesant de vazut cine cu cine se intalneste; cine mai e parcat in fata la Patriciu sau la Vantu sau la Traian la sediu?

De aceea editorialul asta pune punctul de i foarte bine. Pana in momentul in care BEC-ul isi exprima punctul de vedere prin rezultatele oficiale, lupii nu pot decat sa stea in vizuinile lor, eventual sa completeze si sa isi ascuta ghearele.

http://www.revista22.ro/scrisoare-deschis259-c259tre-doamna-doina-cornea...

Dictatorul sau Coaliţia Grivco
http://www.revista22.ro/dictatorul-sau-coali355ia-grivco-7178.html

"Reţinem totuşi, ca pe un semnificativ avans, faptul că politicienii vin şi pleacă. Dar presa rămâne. Degradându-şi vertiginos credibilitatea şi abdicând conştient şi pe bani de la principii elementare."
http://www.revista22.ro/articol-7176.html

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/100018459/at-midnight-las...

"the definition set out in Article One of the1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States: “The state as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: (a) a permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with the other states.”

Until yesterday, the EU qualified on grounds (a), (b) and (c). Now it has ticked the final box. Under the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force today, it acquires “legal personality”, which gives it the right to sign accords and treat with other states. Nor is this right simply theoretical: the EU now has a foreign minister, a diplomatic corps (the European External Action Service) and 160 overseas embassies."

via http://www.cadi.ro/blog/?p=1397

Geniale articole de pe blog-ul cafeina.ro

"Iar noi, ce vom face? Păi tot ce am făcut şi până acum. Ne va fi mai uşor să vorbim despre felul în care încercăm să trăim în noua noastră lume şi despre felul în care vedem, de departe, lumea din care am plecat, fără să trebuiască să alegem, cel puţin o vreme, răul cel mai mic. Şi vom vota."
http://cafeina.ro/2009/12/01/lumea-dupa-6-decembrie/

Ma rog, poti sa votezi tu ca pe mine nu ma scoti din casa pentru asa subiect sub nici un pretext. Siktirul fiecare si-l exprima altfel.

Domnul cu cafeina isi justifica asa votul: http://cafeina.ro/2009/12/01/matematica-si-alegerile/

Mineriada Mediatica
http://cafeina.ro/2009/12/01/mineriada-mediatica/

Geoana a confundat Timisoara cu Sectorul 5
http://cafeina.ro/2009/12/01/geoana-a-confundat-timisoara-cu-sectorul-5/

Vladimir Tismaneanu: “In 89 au tras cu gloante la Timisoara, maine vor trage cu cuvinte”
http://cafeina.ro/2009/11/30/breaking-news-tismaneanu-la-b1-tv/

Filmul: http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-media_in_campanie-6593047-martori-oculari-3-... yy hotnews, pari unul din singurele canale independente de stiri din romania.

EVZ cu puncte de vedere destul de echilibrate : http://prezidentiale.evz.ro/emain/articolul/878182/Corneliu-Coposu-procl...

Din nou un articol bun, si PS si mai bun: http://prezidentiale.evz.ro/articole/detalii-articol/878186/CALIN-HERA-B... .

Tot nu raspunde la intrebarea "In aceste conditii cu cine sa voteze romanii"? Instinctiv, reactia e sa nu te duci la vot. In toate tarile lumii alegerile sunt de fapt jucate incercand sa aduci absenteistii la vot de partea ta. La aceste alegeri in Romania pare ca Geoana incearca sa ii convinga pe nehotarati sa stea acasa.

I've started a page with links to the radio stations I can listen online to.

Radio

1. The warcraft login screen username filed has a cursor blinking in it even though it does not have focus. Actually a whole different window has the focus.
2. The auto-checkout in Loblaws makes you sign the signature pad but at the same time displays your signature on the screen 2x zoomed for everybody to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skCV2L0c6K0&feature=related

oh, and crystal cat

oh oh, and Wham

So in the process of building my warcraft armory app I came across an interesting tidbit of info. I was mapping the class id values to names, and I got the following map:

    WARRIOR(1, "Warrior"),
    PALADIN(2, "Paladin"),
    HUNTER(3, "Hunter"),
    ROGUE(4, "Rogue")
    PRIEST(5, "Priest"),
    DEATHKNIGHT(6, "DeathKnight"),
    SHAMAN(7, "Shaman"),
    MAGE(8, "Mage"),
    WARLOCK(9, "Warlock"),
    DRUID(11, "Druid");

Now, if you are a programmer and you have to write an enum, you will pick sequential numbers. Death Knights which appeared in 2008 have id 6. They have id 6 because they were picked from the beginning and later removed from the initial vanilla wow launch. For the first few years, the id 6 was probably empty and nobody parsing armory xml knew what the name associated with it was. Come 2008 we now know.

On to the question... what lies behind door number 10? :) It's surely something picked from the beginning as druid comes at 11. Also, who would pick 11 for anything, 12 is such a nicer number. Is there anything hidden behind door number 12? I'm almost sure the name and the idea behind the missing classes is there, and there's probably good reason why they are not implemented.

Neighbor's hot tub hums about one minute every 10 minutes and kept me up all night. It's a pesky low frequency hum that you can hear just as well inside the house as outside. Not sure what we're going to do but most likely will fire up a noise complaint with Brampton city hall. It's been going on since august and can't really be tolerated. The buck stops here. Nobody messes up with my sleep.